Hi Fodors,
I am finding the treniitalai site difficult to navigate.Can anyone with experience help with the quickest modes of tranportation on this itienary.Pls could you indicate the type of train as well.Forever grateful.

Lucca to Venice
Venice to Florence
Florence to Rome

I am travelling in May 2007.Will it be wise to book tickets from here...or is there a possibility of purchasing them there without queing as time is short on my hands.
Thankyou once again.

For the Trenitalia impared there is the Rail Europe site. May be easier although the english version of the Italian site is reasonably straightforward.

This is actually really easy.

From Lucca to Venice, you can simply take a Regionale train from Lucca to Florence, and then take a Eurostar train from Florence to Venice. There are other options, such as transferring at Prato and/or Bologna, but I think you will be most comfortable with the Eurostars.

The other two trips are Eurostars all the way.

My guess is that yes, certainly, you can purchase the tickets at the stations themselves, using the vending machines. You can buy all of your tickets in one shot at the Lucca train station.

You can also get train tickets at any Italian travel agency. I am sure you will find one in Lucca. Ask your hotel.

Hi guys,
thanks a million...this was very helpful.

We traveled last May by train from Rome to Florence, Florence to Venice, Venice to Liguria, and Liguria to Nice, France. We had no problem buying our tickets right before departure. Just make sure your ticket is for the correct time and train, and that you validate it if necessary. Otherwise, you will be fined (like we were!).
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Trenitalia specifics.

They just changed the look of the web site, which makes accessing more confusing.

Go to www.trenitalia.com -> click on Trenitalia -> click on English -> put in your destinations and dates and the times. Once you figure out when you think you're going, print out the various time listings and take it with you to Italy, as you may miss a specific train.

Virtually all train stations have ticket vending machines that are in English and take credit cards.

Put your destination in the ticket machine and it will ask you questions such as 1st class or 2nd. If there is a connection, make sure you get a ticket for each segment. The second segment ticket takes a while to drop. Do not forget your receipt.

Thanks Rastaguytoday,
Would you happen to know what stations the Florence to Venice train passes...I am too lazy to check.Does it pass through Maestre in Venice?

All trains that go on to Venezia Santa Lucia first stop at Venezia Mestre.

ES* trains will stop at Bologna Centrale, (Ferrara, Rovigo), Padova, Venezia Mestre and then Venezia Santa Lucia.

Hi TimS,
Thankyou for info....is Maestre a good base to explore Venice....just that hotels are much cheaper.Thanks

Since I have't been to Venice, I'll simply report something I've read that makes sense to me: Venice is at its best in the evening after tourist hordes have departed. Would Mestre be a good base? I would think you could easily do that. According to the timetables, there are trains about every ten minutes or so between Mestre and Santa Lucia and the ride takes eleven minutes.

I personally think that one place to splurge is on lodging in Venice proper, not outside it. There's no place like Venice, so stay there 24/7 if at all possible. You'll get a better feel for it, if you can simply walk out your front door and be in the middle of Venice, IMHO.
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I agree with Maureen. I can't imagine going all the way to Venice to stay in Mestre.